Really loving the experimental elements incorporated into their compositions. When the soothing saxophone came in towards the end of 'Unwept' and broke through the cacophony of riffs, I was in awe. It was like a single haunting dove fluttering below a black and massive storm. Chills. Everywhere. And when the pan flute opened up 'Born of the Light that Does Not Shine', I was off my chair and dancing like some creature out of a Tolkien novel. Delightful. Really pleased to see Skeletonwitch showing us their softer side.

This is some solid and really well played melodic thrash/black metal, however the element of diversity is missing, I'm afraid. I would gladly pay a ticket to see this band live, but as far as domestic listening sessions go, Serpents Unleashed is just adequate.

Holy shit, the amount that this band has improved on this their fifth album is astounding. On previous albums Skeletonwitch pushed their good if somewhat unoriginal and overall tedious blackened death thrash sound. On serpents Unleashed Skeletonwitch still have the same overall sound but some how they make it all their own. This album pushes black metal like melodies via a thrash like approach with an amazingly open production thanks to Kurt Ballou which lets you see all the little details that Skeletonwitch put in their music. The short run time also works wonderfully for this album giving it a Reign In Blood kind of vibe. Overall this album is as close to a 4.5 as can be and really the only thing that holds it back is not enough truly genre defining tracks. Best Songs: I am of Death(Hell has Arrived), Burned from Bone, and Unending, Everliving.